A Number Of The Head Men
Came On Board Us, And It Was With Some Difficulty We Got Them Out Of The
Ship By Fair Means; But On The Appearance Of A Musket With A Fixed Bayonet,
They All Went Into Their Canoes Very Quickly.
We were daily visited by more
or less, who brought us fish in great plenty for nails, beads, and other
trifles, and behaved very peaceably.
We settled the astronomer with his instruments, and a sufficient guard, on
a small island, that is joined to Motuara at low water, called the Hippa,
where there was an old fortified town that the natives had forsaken. Their
houses served our people to live in; and, by sinking them about a foot
inside, we made them very comfortable. Having done this, we struck our
tents on the Motuara, and having removed the ship farther into the cove on
the west shore, moored her for the winter. We then erected our tents near
the river or watering-place, and sent ashore all the spars and lumber off
the decks, that they might be caulked; and gave her a winter coat to
preserve the hull and rigging. On the 11th of May, we felt two severe
shocks of an earthquake, but received no kind of damage. On the 17th, we
were surprised by the people firing guns on the Hippa, and having sent the
boat, as soon as she opened the sound, had the pleasure of seeing the
Resolution off the mouth of it.
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